The role of optic nerve sheath diameter measurement in the diagnosis of brain death

K. Yetiş Gülsoy, S. Orhan, S. Burkay Öztürk

Intensive Care Unit, Burdur State Hospital, Burdur, Turkey. smhorhan@gmail.com

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• Anesthesiology
• Neurology
• Ultrasound

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured using computed tomography (CT), and ONSD measured using bedside ultrasonography (USG) in the diagnosis of brain death.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 21 brain-dead patients were included in the study. The ONSD values of these patients were measured using both USG and CT before and after brain death, and the relationship between these measurements was evaluated.

RESULTS: There was a high level of correlation between the right-left eye ONSD measurements conducted before brain death using USG and CT, respectively (p=0.000, p=0.001). There was a high level of correlation between the right-left eye ONSD measurements conducted after brain death using USG and CT, respectively (p=0.000, p=0.00). Pre-brain death ONSD mean values of both left and right eyes, measured using USG and CT, were found to be statistically significantly lower than the mean values of post-brain death measurements.

CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, a statistically significant difference was found between the optic nerve sheath diameter values measured before and after brain death using USG and CT. At the same time, it was determined that the values of the optic nerve sheath diameter measured using both CT and USG were correlated.

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